


Late Night Talks 3 | Blake & Ruby

by starlightelixir



Series: Late-Night Talks [RWBY] [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fictober 2019, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22536760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightelixir/pseuds/starlightelixir
Summary: Blake notices Ruby slipped out of bed without Yang or Weiss noticing. She follows after her.----Originally written for Fictober's prompt "You could talk about it, you know."
Relationships: Blake Belladonna & Ruby Rose
Series: Late-Night Talks [RWBY] [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1621546
Kudos: 18





	Late Night Talks 3 | Blake & Ruby

They all slept together; it happened at Beacon on-occasion, so, naturally, once they all reunited, it would start to happen again. Though, now, it occurred more frequently, with the four of them clinging to each other, as if they were each expecting something to separate them again.

So, of course, even if the four of them ended up in wildly different positions strewn across the bed, at least one person would notice when someone got up--even if it were for something simple, like to use the bathroom, or to get a glass of water.

When Blake felt the weight of a leg moving off of her--a leg that had been tossed carelessly across her stomach, she couldn’t help but stir; she waited, breathing slowly, trying to feign sleep the best she could--just in case whoever moved was trying to go back to sleep. She didn’t exactly want to trouble them by letting them know that she had woken up.

She did, however, open her eyes when she heard the mattress groan beneath them--she felt the bed shift, and watched silently as someone--Ruby--leave the bed and enter the gentle, yellow light of the hallway.

She sat up on her own, leaving Yang’s warmth behind--she glanced back at Weiss and Yang--Weiss was huddled up as close as she could be on the other side of Yang, and Yang’s left arm was outstretched for Blake to lay on--and decided that they were both sleeping sound enough for her to slip out.

Even if they woke up, it would be fine. Blake thought to herself. Weiss would complain about the cold, Yang would text me--I can’t just let Ruby go off alone. Worry washed over her--she knew that her friend had been bottling everything up, she had witnessed it herself.

She didn’t want to see Ruby lose herself to internalized pain; she didn’t want Ruby to feel like she was burdening anyone with her own trauma.

She had been there, and she had stayed there for far too long--but when she met Ruby and Yang, _that_ was when she considered opening up and getting close to someone again.

And if Ruby could help pull her out of that dark place, she was absolutely going to try and help her.

She pulled Yang’s coat off of the back of a nearby chair and around herself--it eased her worries a bit--she wasn’t the only one that was there to support Ruby, they all were. I don’t really feel like freezing to death. Sure, the heater’s on, but… She shifted her feet--the wood floor beneath her was chilly, uncomfortable--she considered putting on shoes, but figured that she would wait until she at least knew where Ruby was.

She took one last glance at Yang and Weiss--just to make sure they were still sound asleep, and they were--before she slipped out of the bedroom, slowly closing the door to minimize any sound.

Ruby hadn’t gone to the bathroom, and she hadn’t gone to Oscar’s, Qrow’s, Maria’s, or JNR's rooms--Blake had almost resigned herself to putting on actual clothes and shoes and stepping outside, when she--silently thanking the gods--found Ruby sitting in the barely-lit downstairs parlor of the inn.

“Ruby?” She spoke up, her voice soft and caring. She narrowed her gaze at the other, watching her jump and jerk her head back to stare at Blake with those wide, silver eyes. “It’s just me.”

“Oh,” She saw Ruby’s shoulders relax, a rather loud, relieved sigh passing by her lips. “Geez, you scared me half to death…” She slowly sank back against the couch, pulling her cape up to her shoulders. “What are you doing up so late?”

“I was just…” Blake thought for a moment--she tried to choose her words carefully, to avoid Ruby blaming herself for her awakening. “I noticed you were gone, so I figured I would check on you.” She moved around to the front of the couch to address Ruby directly; Ruby kept her eyes locked on the coffee table in front of her.

“Oh, haha,” Ruby laughed nervously, her hand leaving the warmth of under her cape to scratch the back of her outrageously messy bedhead. “Sorry about that, I didn’t mean to worry you--you can go back to sleep?”

“I think I’ll stay up--I can keep you company, if that’s okay?”

Ruby looked up to meet her gaze briefly, she nodded, and offered a bright smile--one that felt particularly forced. “Yeah! C’mon.” She scooted herself over a bit, reaching over to pat the spot that she had occupied moments ago. “You can sit here? I don’t want to make you stand or anything.”

“I was actually going to offer to make you hot cocoa or tea before I sat down?” Blake smiled back--warm and gentle. “You don’t have to, but. I’m pretty sure there’s a kitchen here that we can use.”

“I don’t think they really want people using it at night…”

“That never stopped us at Beacon.” Blake’s soft smile turned sly as she shifted her weight to her right leg. “Again, if you don’t want any, that’s fine, but--”

“I would _kill_ for some hot chocolate right now. Please?” She looked up at her--desperation in her eyes. "It's always great whenever you make it, so, if you're okay with it?" She half-pleaded.

_She almost looks like a puppy._ “I’ll be right back, alright?”

Ruby nodded again, watching Blake slip away.

She came back with two mugs, both of which had steam billowing slowly from their tops; she sat them both down on the coffee table, and sat as close as she could to Ruby. “Here. It’s hot, so--”

Ruby didn’t hesitate to take the cup from the table; she held it between her hands, close to her face, with her eyes shut--just to take in the warmth. “Thanks a ton.” She said, her smile returning--a more genuine, yet still tired smile.

“Any time.”

The two sat in silence for a few minutes--Ruby slowly found herself leaning against Blake, and Blake had relaxed under the pressure of her; occasionally, they would sip from their drinks, but they were content with just staying near each other.

It wasn’t like Ruby genuinely wanted to be alone, after all.

Blake was the first to break the silence after her mug hit the table with a dull thud; she placed her hand on Ruby’s shoulder and looked directly at her face--concern clouding her eyes more than before. “I know that you’re under a lot of stress right now--we all are. But… If you ever needed to, or if you just wanted to… You could talk about it, you know?”

Ruby… Felt like she had been shot. Blake’s words widened her eyes, and sent a chill--colder than the air of the inn--down her spine. She slowly raised her gaze and turned her face to meet Blake’s eyes, tears slowly welling up in her own.

Blake’s kindness and reassurance-- _that_ was the catalyst that brought Ruby to tears.

Blake slowly pulled her closer, into a gentle hug--Ruby immediately clung to her, her fists balled up in the fabric of Yang’s jacket, her face buried in Blake’s shoulders as she muffled her own sobs the best she could.

She couldn’t form coherent words, she could only cry out occasional attempts at a sentence every so often--Blake stayed quiet, occasionally shifting between rubbing small circles on her back, stroking her hair, or simply holding her.

After Ruby had quietened down--though her breathing was still ragged, heavy, and sniffly--Blake pulled back, just enough to face her once again. “I won’t make you talk--none of us will. If you need to just cry, or be held, or anything--we’ll do whatever we can. But… If you do want to talk, we’re always here for you.”

Ruby nodded quickly, her face still dampened by her crying session. She hiccuped, opening her mouth to speak quietly, hoarsely. “Thanks, Blake. It means a lot.”


End file.
